It's hard not to be won over by the LEGO video game series, which has stacked up a sizeable fan base over the years with its charm, humour and loyalty to its source material.

Peter Jackson's The Hobbit movies serve as the inspiration for the latest addition to the fold, and while LEGO The Hobbit is every bit as endearing as its predecessors, it lacks their magic.

The game follows the events of the first two The Lord of the Rings prequels, recreating them almost scene for scene using LEGO bricks and wasting no opportunity to exercise the series' trademark wit and humour.

Developer Traveller's Tales has stuck to its guns where the core gameplay is concerned, barely deviating from the smash and build mechanics found in past LEGO offerings.

As we noted when we reviewed The LEGO Movie Videogame, this tried and tested formula has lost some of its appeal after so many instalments, but remains fun nevertheless.

That said, LEGO The Hobbit feels more formulaic and less enjoyable than its predecessors, with more time spent smashing up environments to harvest raw materials for solving largely unrewarding puzzles than battling enemies.

Combat itself feels clunky and sluggish at times, but it's easy to become invested in the large-scale skirmishes with hordes of goblins and orcs.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

These are a sight to behold rendered in colourful blocks, and seeing LEGO figurines performing complex battlefield choreography never fails to amuse.

LEGO The Hobbit attempts to bring some new features to the table. For instance, there's a crafting mechanic that plays out like a Fisher Price version of its Skyrim counterpart.

Players can create new items and weapons from the raw materials they unearth from environmental destruction when they come across an anvil. The forging process itself is carried out through simplistic rhythm-action mini-games.

This mechanic doesn't do a great deal to enhance the overall experience as seeking out all of the required items can be tedious, but Traveller's Tales should be commended for deviating from their established formula.

LEGO The Hobbit has its fair share of flaws, but there's at least plenty to see and do in this toy incarnation of Middle-earth, particularly in local split-screen co-op mode, which feels like the definitive way to experience the game.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

It's a lovingly-crafted game that falls short of the lofty standards set by the likes of LEGO Batman and the LEGO Star Wars saga before it, let down by trivial puzzles and unpolished combat.

Some faults are easier to overlook during multiplayer, as the legwork during puzzle segments is halved and combat feels more engaging with a human-controlled ally watching your back.

There's stacks of content on offer too, with myriad side-quests to tackle and new characters to unlock at every turn. Not all of the optional content is gold, but it feels as though the developers have strived to give players plenty to do.

As always, the movies have been faithfully recreated in that patented LEGO aesthetic, capturing the grandeur of their action sequences and the charm of the more low-key scenes.

It's a lovingly-crafted game that falls short of the lofty standards set by the likes of LEGO Batman and the LEGO Star Wars saga before it, let down by trivial puzzles and unpolished combat.

LEGO The Hobbit does its best to pay homage to its celluloid counterparts, but doesn't quite capture the essence of Bilbo Baggins and his companions' epic cinematic journey.